This invention relates generally to devices for automatically pitching balls for batting practice and particularly of the softball pitching type. More specifically, the invention is directed to a machine having an automatic feeding mechanism to allow the machine to sequentially pitch balls for batting practice or the like.
Ball pitching machines are well known in the prior art. Examples of some ball pitching machines are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,152,186; 1,223,386; 1,825,882; 2,080,958; 2,082,818; 3,760,787; and 3,788,297. There is also known a baseball pitching device which uses two rotating wheels between which a ball is fed to be engaged by the wheel for projection.
As far as is known, the prior art devices have suffered from disadvantages which may prevent their utilization in commercial applications. Ball pitching machines typically may be used outdoors, which requires that the device be resistant or immune to exposure to weather conditions during periods of non-use. The size of ball pitching machines may make it inconvenient to keep the machines covered at all times, which may expose the machines to rain.
In order to be commercially feasible, the ball pitching machines should be reliable and be capable of repeatedly pitching balls with a minimal amount of attention from an operator. This requires a reliable feeding and loading mechanism to sequentially position the balls on a pitching arm. When balls are dumped into a hopper supply means, the balls tend to jam at the outlet and may not be individually discharged unless de-jammed. Also, the balls must be accurately dispensed each cycle of the machine. The use of gravity may not always be suitable for such an application, particularly when a large number of balls is made available in a storage bin for dispensing to the pitching arm.